Which is the best Knee Replacement Implant?

Knee replacement surgery occupies the top position globally among the most commonly performed surgical procedures. There are more than 500,000 knee replacements done in the United States alone, and the number is still growing.

A knee replacement is performed to remove an arthritic joint which has become worn out. It further involves its replacement with an artificial implant usually made up of metal and plastic.

Knee replacement surgery helps in countering the damage a knee incurs by arthritis. The implants include metal and plastic parts which are placed at the ends of the bones of the knee joint, with the kneecap. This surgery is essential for people with severe arthritis or a knee injury. After the surgery, the patient will experience

• Improvement in the  movement of knee joint
• relief from pain and reduction in  stiffness
• Improvement in the  alignment of joints
• Reduction in the  need for support
• Improvement in performing various activities like walking, driving, climbing stairs and performing social activities

There are many orthopedic manufacturing companies which are engaged in producing variants of prosthetic implants for effective knee replacement.

How do we determine the best Knee Implant?

Now, this question has many answers. Every person will have a different answer for this. However, we suggest that you ask the following questions before choosing an option –

Is the design durable and stable?

What material does it use?

Does it last forever or the patient has to get it replaced after a few years?

Lately, many new variations like gender-specific impacts and rotating knee replacements have been seen being utilized.

Which Knee Implant Is considered to be  the Best?

In the absence of long term studies related to knee implants, there is difficulty in knowing which implant is best. However, we are specifying some guidelines that can be used while selecting the best and durable implant. We recommend patients and surgeons to choose an implant which fulfils the following criteria:

• The implant has a reasonable track record which ranges from 5-10 years
• The implant has been used by the surgeon many times before
• The implant is suitable for the patient’s condition

If you have any doubts in your mind, then you must ask the surgeon about the specific implant he or she usually uses. You can also go through various websites to find out about the various options of implants.